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THESE SUBTLE MOVES CAN HELP US

Wednesday, January 3, 2024

In today’s newsletter, we learn about the millions of people saved because of COVID vaccines, find out how our staff and readers are bettering their lives, realize the importance of The Gate of Grief ... and understand what cats really think.

wheat with light peeking through the stalks

PHOTOGRAPH BY MARK THIESSEN

Saying adiós to eating octopus. Choosing to take out library books rather than clutter your home. Wearing a life vest before a cold plunge. Eating less ultra-processed food (whole grains, above).

Nat Geo’s staff and readers put into action things big and small they learned last year, to help their health, clean up the world, or just get happier. Here are a few of those things.

READ THE FULL STORY

A few of the stories that helped:

—How heat can kill you—and how to save yourself
—Put that life vest on before jumping in that chilly pond
—After a long wait, a shot to stop a sneaky killer
—Our octopus teacher

STORIES WE’RE FOLLOWING

Many people who participate in Dry January or Sober October—campaigns to give up alcohol for a month—notice that their sleep improves and their anxiety diminishes. Experts say that the exercise also has benefits for your liver, gut, and other organs.

PHOTOGRAPH BY VICTORIA JONES, PA IMAGES/GETTY IMAGES

Dry January? When you go sober for even a month, your body will change

Alcohol is killing more women than ever

Read this before you think about a polar plunge

COVID vaccines saved 3.2 million people in the U.S. alone. So, why aren’t people more respectful and accepting of vaccines?

What is ‘inflammaging’? Here's how inflammation affects you differently as you age.

Why you definitely shouldn't feed wild raccoons (even if they're cute)

How to determine your biological age—not your chronological one. (Hint: Your face is key)

The ancient Roman gemstones found in a bathhouse drain

New obesity drugs are coming. Here's how they could change everything.

The perils of jet lag and how to avoid them

WHERE IN THE WORLD?

A satellite view of the 20-mile-wide strait of Bab el Mandeb, located between the southwestern tip of the Arabian Peninsula (right) and the Horn of Africa (left).

PHOTOGRAPH BY GALLO IMAGES, ORBITAL HORIZON/COPERNICUS SENTINEL DATA 2021/GETTY IMAGES

The Gate of Grief: That’s one name for a 20-mile-wide strait south of the Suez Canal that has been the scene of rebel attacks on shipping. Warships have steamed in to keep this vital trade route open. Which one of these counties is NOT abutting this strategic chokepoint:

A. Djibouti
B. Eritrea
C. Saudi Arabia
D. Yemen

CLICK FOR THE ANSWER

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

A woman jogs during foggy weather in a forest, in Zurich, Switzerland, 2020.

PHOTOGRAPH BY ARND WIEGMANN, REUTERS/REDUX

Making your New Year's resolutions work: How do you develop good habits? As the new year comes around the corner, there is no shortage of good intentions. They key? How to keep fueling them. Here are eight strategies to make your new resolutions happen. (Above, a woman jogs through a Swiss forest.)

INTENTION TO HABIT

LAST GLIMPSE

A orange and white, Purebred Bengal cat with a curious face inhales an unfamiliar smell with its mouth open in black background.

PHOTOGRAPH BY AZOVSKY, GETTY IMAGES

What do cats really think? That might have a theoretical question before, but now data and science have some clues. Cats use the same five senses as humans, but here’s how they view the world differently. Learning how cats use each one of their senses may help us understand them better. (Above, a Bengal cat inhaling an unfamiliar smell with its mouth open.)

Today’s soundtrack: Nine Lives, Odie Leigh

We hope this newsletter brightened your Wednesday! It was curated and edited by David Beard, Nancy San Martín, Jen Tse, and Nishita Naga. Know someone who might want our newsletter in their inbox? Here’s the signup. See you tomorrow!

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